My evil pokemon team
by Blueshade Seraphim
Summary: Team Spotlight! Brought together by a need to belong, easily identified by a fondness for theatre and masks, and founded by the designs of an ancient legendary pokemon.


**(Everyone these days seems to be making their own evil Pokémon teams nowadays. And for good reasons: it's a chance to have a little fun, and get creative. And so, considering I myself have had such an idea for a while now, I thought why not share it? Also, feel free to use them in one of your own fanfics, if you so wish. Alrighty! Let's get into this!)**

My evil team is known as Team Spotlight. Dashing, elegant, graceful. That's the words I'd use to describe them. So, how exactly did this team come to be? What principles led to its founding?

**Background:**

Team Spotlight's leader happens to be a girl the same age as the player character. This girl's name is Anna, but she'd masquerade behind her identity as Lux, The Enlightened. Anna was a timid girl, very similar to Wally from ORAS. Born with a genetic defect that made her hair white, she didn't grow up with that many friends. Her very first Pokémon was a Braixen, and she loved it with all her heart. Even so, she had a lonely life. She had always wanted to be an entertainer, winning the affection and adoration of the crowds, but she lacked the confidence to go out on a stage and start making that dream real. But one fateful day, while exploring a cave in the hopes of catching some new Pokémon, she stumbled upon a giant wall of pink crystal.

Upon touching it, she became connected with the legendary Pokémon: Sulyvahn. Sulyvahn was a humanoid butterfly Pokémon, that bears a striking resemblance to Pheromosa. It has the typing of light and psychic. Imprisoned in this crystal wall by an ancient civilization of humans long ago. Gifting her with psychic powers, Sulyvahn explained to Anna that it could give her a place in this world, as well as the stardom she craved. And all it wanted in return, was for her to set it free.

With Sulyvahn's magic flowing through her, Anna carved out the caves and created a luminous castle straight out of a fantasy book around the crystal wall. Dawning a black and purple butterfly masquerade mask, a white costume similar to Winona's, with streaks of light yellow, as well as black and purple markings. She also wore a headdress that matched her outfit. From there, Anna, now going by Lux, made Team Spotlight under the guidance of Sulyvahn. Making a team that served both as a place for misfits like her to feel wanted, and to work towards their grand goal of freeing Sulyvahn, by finding the 6 elemental crystals used to seal it away: Light, Dark, Psychic, Electric, Fairy, and Flying.

**Grunts:**

The grunts are immediately identifiable by their ritzy attire. I'd say they dress very similarly to Steven Stone from ORAS, or Jakob from Fire Emblem: Fates. Their outfit is dominated by black and purple, as well as a dash of white here and there. The guys have short hair that's very neat and orderly. The girls are similar, having a ponytail that goes straight down, as opposed to most other girls in the Pokémon universe with that hairstyle. And obviously, the uniform would be different depending on the gender. The guys are dressed a lot like a butler, while the girls look more along the lines of a maid. They also tend to dye their hair either white, blonde, or light pink. And of course, they all wear masks reminiscent of Lux's, just minus the butterfly shape.

In terms of personality, their vocabulary tends to lean towards more civil and refined terms. They'd typically refer to Pokémon battles as a "duel", easily portraying this aspect of them with a single word. And yet, sometimes they'll slip up and string together a sentence that sounds awkward. While this is played for laughs, it demonstrates that the way they portray themselves is just an act, to earn the intrigue of others. They all revere Lux as a sort of miracle child, and have undying respect for her. The crimes they take part in are usually hijacking events like Pokémon tournaments and Pokémon beauty contests, (in order to spread awareness of their cause), as well as theft of the elemental crystals they need, but they make a point of not causing any unnecessary trouble, or property damage. Like in the instance of the Pokémon tournament, they wouldn't actually interfere with the actual battles, but would instead hack the jumbotron and give a short message.

That said, they don't shy away from Pokémon battles, if they feel someone is a threat to their mission. Sometimes, they'd actually actually apprehended other crooks that unlike them, _are _in it for their own selfish gain, and hand them over to the authority. Like Team Rocket's trio, or Team Skull. That kinda thing. And while they do this partially to get the public on their side, it's also partially because they don't see themselves as criminals. Their selection of Pokémon are often a match for their image of themselves, (elegant, and refined), but occasionally they throw in other Pokémon, that match their personality.

**Admins:**

Team Spotlight has two admins. A brother and sister duo, in fact. But they usually operate on their own. First, there's Zeke. Zeke wears white and gold, as well as traces of light blue. Like the rest of his team, he's a snappy dresser. His mask matches his color scheme, and he wears an accessory on his head that largely resembles lion ears. His hair is also dyed white. Short and messy, but in a neat way. Zeke is calm and composed, analytical and logical. Even in defeat, he is even-tempered, viewing it as a means to learn, and grow stronger. His team mostly employs psychic types, and other types that prioritize special attack and defense. Zeke's attire is based off a Pokémon he idolizes: Solgaleo. And while he never strives to have that same ferocity, he still admires the lion's legacy of pride and respect.

And the second is Zoe. Zoe dresses in black and purple, with traces of pink. Her hair is pink as well, long and wavy. She wears a jumpsuit, and a tiger mask that covers the top half of her face. She can typically be seen sporting a playful smile. While her younger brother is defined by his gentleman demeanor, and incredible intellect, Zoe is defined by passion and intensity. She's a tomboy, first and foremost. A Pokémon trainer who lives for the thrill, and who's drive for what she does serves to motivate her allies. She's one of the very few members of the team who has no issue in using less physically appealing Pokémon, if it means being victorious. That said, she has been known to throw temper tantrums when things don't go her way. Her team consists of fighting types, ground types, and sometimes fire. She likes using Pokémon that hit like a tank, her favorite being her Incineroar. That said, she prioritizes attack over defense. A real glass cannon kind of fighter.

**Leader:**

Outside of the team, Lux reverts to her normal self. She dyes her hair black, and typically a gray tank top, a black jacket, and a black skirt. She also wears a light blue hairband. As her normal self, she gives off the vibe of a kind girl who's always willing to help someone in need. And while that is very true, those who look close enough will see that her behavior very much eludes to her hidden sadness. I'll explain more about that, in the "player interaction" section. Anyway, as Anna, she has a quiet and unassertive voice, and tries to act as friendly as possible without suffocating those around her.

As Lux however, the comfort in being behind the mask allows her to be a bit more at ease with herself. Her voice is almost like a whisper, but has a sort of divine echo to it. And despite her gentle tone, she can still be heard very well. She seems much more genuinely happy as Lux, and has a significant boost in confidence. That said, if she encounters someone that from her perspective, is dead set on making things difficult for her, some of her frustration leaks out. Push her too far, and something snaps, and she straight up goes ballistic! All that pent up anger gets unleashed at once, having someone to be directed at. Now then, one more thing before we get to how her story would go...

**Sulyvahn's backstory:**

Why exactly was Sulyvahn sealed away, you ask? Well, the story that Lux, and the entirety of Team Spotlight believes is what it told her: long ago, Sulyvahn was a legendary that enjoyed the attention and praise of humans. It performed for them, lighting up the sky with its incredible and eye catching powers, and it enjoyed every second of it. But one day, after one of its shows accidentally led to a forest fire, the humans immediately feared it, weakening it with the power of 6 Pokémon trainers, before locking it away in an impenetrable wall of crystal, only unlockable with 6 elemental crystals that resonate with Sulyvahn's energy. Lux not only wants to free it to make good on her promise, but because she wants to show it that not all people are as bad as it remembers them.

However, this story is only half true. The other half is a lie, fabricated by Sulyvahn. It was indeed a legendary that entertained humans, and it did enjoy its time in the limelight. But eventually, people just got used to the spectacle, and no one really cared anymore. Feeling betrayed, and jealous, Sulyvahn used its psychic powers to control the masses, and make them worship it. The 6 trainers that were able to seal it away were so experienced with Pokémon that they were immune to its effects. And the instant Anna discovered it, it decided to appeal to her loneliness, pretending to be her friend in order to break free. And as the game progresses, the player would see subtle hints that Sulyvahn is slowly taking over Lux's mind. Doing so in such a gradual manner, that even she herself wouldn't notice, until it's too late.

**Player interaction:**

When the game begins, the player is introduced to the region by their rival. However, Anna is also there. Portrayed as a sort of "friend of a friend". She wears a smile on her face at all times, but ideally when the player starts a second playthrough, they'll know that smile is just as fake as the actual mask she wears as Lux. In the beginning portion of the game, Anna would tag along as an awkward 3rd wheel, the dialogue intentionally written to make the player forget that she's even there, in a sense. Anna's own dialogue would seem happy on the surface, but tinged with sorrowful context to those who look. She'd serve as one of the first fights with her Braixen, but would easily be defeated in a manner that implies she barely even has the will to try. She wouldn't really have much to say in the cutscenes, the rival would briefly introduce her, she would eagerly say hi, and then almost immediately the rival would transition to whatever they need to to move the story forward. Anna would follow the player and the rival around, occasionally trying to start a conversation with them by bringing up random topics, but every time, the rival would quickly rail back towards whatever they were saying before.

Eventually, Anna would stop trying to engage the two of them, and just silently be there in the background smiling. And eventually, she'd just stop following them altogether, and no one, not even the player themselves, would really notice. This would be around the time that the player starts encountering Team Spotlight. Mostly just grunts, and maybe one of the admins here and there, as they try to take over news outlets for extra public exposure, or break into museums looking for the crystals. And soon enough, they'd encounter Lux herself, as they fight Team Spotlight in a theatre. She'd be built up by her subordinates as this majestic angelic being, but would in actuality just be a young girl in a fancy costume. Lux would be on stage, dancing like a ballet dancer, as the player goes through the stereotypical "straight line of enemies" shtick. When the player finally reaches her, she'll introduce herself, as well as the motive for her cause. She'll then mention to the player that it would warm her heart if someone like them could help them in their goal. Telling them to meet her in her base, Glosstone Castle, with their answer, and that they shouldn't feel pressured to one choice or another. After that, she'd use Sulyvahn's powers to vanish.

After a gym battle or two, the player does do what she asks. They find her castle, and battle their way through it, her underlings there to test your strength in Pokémon battles before you make your decision. And after a bit of exploration, you do find her in a dining room of sorts. The classic long table, with two people sitting on opposite ends having a conversation sorta thing. Lux would express how flattered she is that the player decided to come, making a comment about how not many would give any value to her words. And after a short conversation where she'd explain what she'd want you to do under her, the player would be given a choice of joining her or not. This doesn't actually effect the ending of the story, but it will effect the path of getting to that ending. And because Pokémon loves those meaningless choices, the player would be informed before-hand that this choice actually counts. The story would then split down two routes, depending on which choice you made.

**Not joining:**

If you choose not to join Team Spotlight, Lux will sigh and say that she understands. She'll let you leave the castle without any further trouble. Speaking to the foes you battled through after making this choice would have them express their disappointment in you rejecting her offer. From then on, Lux would slowly begin giving away to Sulyvahn's influence. Her methods becoming more extreme, and her personality shifting to less of a kind soul with a pure hearted mission, and more of a religious zealot, who would throw away everything in order to achieve her goal. And eventually, even though they still fight for her, the player will see Team Spotlight starting to question Lux's judgement. Soon the player learns the truth about Sulyvahn, and after a first battle with Lux, where the player accidentally blows off her mask and reveals her true identity, she would manage to flee with the last crystal.

The player and their friends would chase Lux down to Glosstone Castle, and fight their way through her ranks, including a 2 on 2 battle with Zeke and Zoe. And when they make it to Lux's room, they'd see the wall of crystal, as well as a bunch of her lackeys working to put the crystals in place and free Sulyvahn. At this point, it would be obvious Lux has descended into madness, with her eyes being red around the bottom. The rival and the others would ask her why she's doing this, to which Lux would explode forth with all her repressed negativity, allowing everyone to know exactly why she was tricked down this path. The player would battle Lux in her crazed state, and defeat her. But alas, it's too late. Sulyvahn has been set free, and flies out of the castle. Lux would be freed from its control, since it has no need of her anymore, and would be left in a state of despair. Sitting there on the floor, and having nothing but her misery left for company...

Or so she would think. Because before setting out to stop Sulyvahn, the player and the others all gather around her and comfort her, the rival apologizing for not being a better friend. And it's at this moment that she would finally be taken back from the brink, and go on to live a happier life. The player and the others would band together and defeat Sulyvahn on a mountaintop, before it can fully recover and bend the world to its will. Anna would find her place in the new friends she has, and would continue on as the leader of Team Spotlight. But this time, she'd make them a force for purely good, to make the world a better place.

**Joining:**

Lux would be pleasantly surprised by your acceptance, and would supply you with a Team Spotlight uniform. From that point forward, you'd be able to come and go in her castle as you please. And instead of fighting against her, this time your missions will be about helping her. Gathering the crystals through as peaceful means as possible, taking down other thugs that would use Pokémon for their own selfish gain, etc. You would steadily climb through the ranks, even becoming an admin near the end. Lux would slowly open up to you about her insecurities, and about who she really is, and the player would be a calming presence in helping her regain her self-esteem. To the point where she becomes harder and harder for Sulyvahn to corrupt, and she actually starts noticing how unhealthy her relationship with Sulyvahn is. By the time they get the final crystal, Lux comes full circle and realizes it's probably best to leave Sulyvahn as it is.

That's when the Pokémon starts to take her over by force! The player would gather their allies just like before, this time including Zeke and Zoe, and would take on a brainwashed Lux as she desperately tries to fight back. Instead of fighting members of Team Spotlight, the player would battle phantoms made using Sulyvahn's magic to slow you down. The result would be the same as before, Sulyvahn being freed and Lux being defeated, but now when she's back to her old self, instead of wallowing in despair, she'd feel minorly guilty about indirectly causing this. But her friends would easily cheer her up, and the story would continue down the same path as before. Sulyvahn is defeated, and this time Anna has the strength to tell her friends how she's really been feeling all this time herself. They'd reconvene, the day would be saved, Team Spotlight is converted to good, and they all live happily ever after.


End file.
